Towel dispensing apparatus



Dec. 13,1938. c. A. CHIDSEY. JR 2,140,440

' TOWEL'DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Shet 1 (Mats/910.55) Jk.

Dec. 13, 1938. c. A. CHIDSEY. JR

TOWEL DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I F/QZ ATTaENEYs' 3o nin'gof dispensing;

Patented Dec. 13,1938 4 2,140,440

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Charles A. Chidsey, Jr., Detroit, Mich., assignor to Steiner Sales Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation .of Utah ApplicationMay: 13, 1936, Serial'No. 79,513 Claims." (Cl. 312-38) This invention relates to improvements in easily introduced to or removed from the positowel dispensing apparatus and particularly to tion shown in Figure 1 or 2. that type of apparatus in which soiled; toweling The drive for the soiled towel roll includes two is taken up as clean toweling is dispensed. One rolls 25, 26 journaled in the plates IS, the shafts 55 of the important objectsof'the invention is to so being horizontally aligned and parallel. The arrange the clean towel supply or rollin relation takeup roll rests by gravity on these drive rolls toathe soiled towel takeup roll that as dispensing 25 and 28.

progresses the space initially occupied bythe Associated with the soiled towel roll or support ciliantoweiingis a y p ed by the soiled is a clean toweling support indicated at 30 and 10 toweling, thus conserving space so that the towel hinged or pivoted at 3| to the back wall 32 of the 10:

cabinet can be made much smaller than is ordicabinet, This clean toweling support is adapted narily the case. I to rest by gravity upon the soiled toweling which Another. feature relates to the use of a plate i n the support l5, as shown in Figure 1. By which functions with the door of the cabinet to thi m ans; supports respectively for the soiled form a guide for .theclean towelingand which d clean t li are prgvided d are o 15;

functions to p p y entry through mounted and arranged that, as dispensing proan opening in the tt and wh h a un gresses, the space initially occupied by the clean 'tions in conjunction with ot n f r toweling is finally occupied by the soiled towelsmoothing the soiled toweling before it is wound in compare Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 shows 20. on the soiled towel takeup roll. '3

4 7' Features of the invention include the details'of exhausted.

' c nstruction, l n wi h th r der ide of The shafts'35 and 36 respectively of rolls 25 means inherent in t e diSOIO and 26 are provided with sprocket wheels respecj V Objects; features and advantages 'of the'inven tively indicated at 31, 38. Shaft ID of the measthe clean toweling supply substantially tion will be set'forth in"the.desc pt 0f the uring roll I l is provided with a sprocket wheel 25 I drawingsformingv a part of s pp and 39, and a chain 40 is operatively associated with Saiddrawingk these sprocket wheels in the manner shown.

Fi ure lisa t ansv rs se w t s p Associated with the sprocket wheel 38 is a pawl roll and tsoiledtowel takeup roll as atrthe-begin- M'f preventing reverse ve ent,

"Figure 2 is a Similar View as When the Clean 42; The toweling passes from the supply roll to t w pp y' substaniiallyexhaustedi the measuring roll ll, thence between roll II and V Figure 3 s a p Section approximately 011 pinch roll 46 and over the pinch roll downwardly ine -3 f u e and through a throat 41, and opening 4 to form the i Figure iS a V t c t a sve Seiion loop 5,thence upwardly in contact with rear edge 35;

proximately 0n -o of Figure p 48 of the opening 4, thence over the rear edge 49 The invention shown applied in a Wall cabiof an extension of a plate later to be described, t, wherein it is particuiarlyxdesilable that thence over drive roll 35 to the takeup roll I 5. maximu a t of o g be handled in a A pull onthe front side of the loop 5 results in 1 m m amount of space rotating them e'asuring roll, which through the 40- n the drawings, the numeral 1 generally ihdisprocket and chain'drive operates the rolls 25, 25 Gates a Cabinet having afield/ice (100T The to take up toweling in an amount equal to that bottom ofothe cabinet is indicated at3 and has withdrawn 4 an opening 4 the d w wa and upwardly Anotherfeature of the invention relates to an through which the tow lin p s f m' D element which performs the triple function of 45 Numeral l0 indicates-the shaft of a measurforming a part of the guide throat for the clean ing roll i, said shaft being journaled inoplates t w lin uarding the opening 4 against t 7 13, see Figu e A soiled towel p: [roll is 'pering entry and forming part of means for indicated at: l5 and has a shaft ppos e smoothing the soiled toweling before it reaches 50=ends ofwhich extend as shown in FiguresB and the take-up roll. This means comprises a plate 50 4 into vert de S ots l 10f plates I 3. Each having a vertical portion 50 spaced from the servslotis a continuation of a corresponding throat ice/door to form the throat 47. The plate is like slot:v The upper edge of the slot is indicated bent to, form a right-angled extension 52 having atfllfl and the lower edge at l9; By this slot, its rear edge rolled'to form the smoothing edge 563-. arrangement, the soiled towel takeup roll can be; 49.1: The portion 52sis so placed :as to guard the 55:

The clean toweling supply roll is indicated at 30' opening 4 to prevent tampering entry through this opening. The portion 49 and the rear edge 48 of the opening cooperate for smoothing the towel. The plate is pivoted as at 55 between the side plates I3 so that it can be swung outwardly to the dot-and-dash line position in Figure 1 to allow servicing of the cabinet. The plates l3 have lugs 56 to limit inward movement of the portion 50 of the plate and the door 2 has a spacer element 51 which prevents outward movement of the element 50 when the door is closed. Thus, pinching of the toweling in the throat 47 is prevented and the rear edge, 49 is unfailingly held in the proper relation with the rear edge 48 of the opening. The relation of the stop 56 and spacer 51 is best shown in Figure 3.

The means for manually operating the measuring roll has not been shown. It is usual to provide a stop mechanism to limit the amount of toweling dispensed at a single operation. This mechanism has not been illustrated. Both mechanisms are well known in the art.

I believe myself the first to arrange and operate supports respectively for soiled and clean toweling so that the space initially occupied by the clean toweling supply is finally occupied by .the soiled toweling, thereby enabling-one to handle a maximum amount of toweling in a minimum amount of space.

- I claim as my invention:

1. A towel dispensing apparatus comprising, a cabinet having front and rear soiled toweling drive rollers, a core roll upon which soiled toweling'is wound and which rests upon and is driven by said rollers, means by which the core roll is mounted for translation in a direction perpendicular to its axis of rotation, a clean towel roll supporting shelf pivoted to the cabinet and constantly resting on the core roll or the soiled toweling thereon and adapted to swing upwardly as the amount of soiled toweling on said core roll increases, a measuring roll disposed above said shelfso located that the free side of the shelf will clear it, and means by which the measuring roll operates the drive rollers.

2. A towel dispensing apparatus comprising, a cabinet having a front door and having a bottom which'is open from the door rearwardly to a point near the rear wall of the cabinet, towel dispensing means in 'the'cabinet including soiled toweling takeup drive means arranged near the open bottom of the cabinet, a plate having a portion spaced from the door to form 'a guide therewith and acting as a supplemental closure for the front of the cabinet, and having an integral portion movable with it and disposed between said drive means and the open bottom of the cabinet to prevent tampering access through the open bottom, the spaced portion of said plate being pivoted by its upper portion to the cabinet at a point near-the door and being adapted to swing-outwardly to give access for servicin the cabinet. 1

3. A towel dispensing apparatus comprising; a

cabinet having a front door and having a bottom which is open from the door rearwardly to closure for the front of the cabinet, and having I an' integral horizontal portion movable with it and disposed to prevent tampering access through the open bottom, the vertical portion of said plate being pivoted by its upper portion to the cabinet at a point near the measuring roll and being adapted to swing outwardly to give access for servicing the cabinet, the cabinet having a soiled towel smoothing edge at the bottom and adjacent the rear of the takeup drive means and the horizontal portion of said plate having a rear towel smoothing edge which acts to draw the toweling against the first mentioned smoothing edge as the plate assumes anti-tampering position. 7

4. A towel dispensing apparatus comprising, a cabinet. having a front door and having a bottom which is open from the door rearwardlyrto a point near the rear wall of the cabinet, the front and rear soiled toweling takeup drive rollers arranged near the open bottom of the cabinet, a core roll upon which soiled toweling is wound and which is driven by said rollers, a measuring roll near the door of the cabinet, means by which the measuring roll operates the drive rollers, a plate having a vertical portion spaced from the door to form a guide therewith and acting as a supplemental closure for the front of the cabinet, and having an. integral horizontal portion movable with it and disposed to prevent tampering access through the lower draw the toweling against the first mentioned smoothing edge as the plate assumes operative position.

5. A towel dispensing apparatus comprising, a cabinet having a, front door and having a bottom which is open from the door rearwardly to a point near the rear wall of the cabinet, a soiled toweling drive roller arranged near the open bottom of'the cabinet, a core roll upon which soiled toweling is wound and which'is driven by said roller, a measuring roll disposed above the drive roller, means by which the measuring roll oper-v 6. A towel dispensingapparatus comprising a cabinet having a service door, and having a bottomwallcut away ,toprovide an opening extending from the door to a point near the back wall of the cabinet, said opening allowing the toweling to pass downwardly then upwardly to form a loop, soiled towel takeup means near the bottom of the cabinet, a plate pivoted'tothe cabinet and having a portion opposed to and spaced from the door to form therewith, a guide for clean toweling, said plate having a portion interposed between the opening and said takeup means to prevent tampering by entry through the bottom but permit movement of the "toweling into the cabinet to the takeup means, said plate being adapted toswing to allow servicing of the cabinet. 5

7. In. a towel dispensing apparatus, a movable shelf for supporting a roll of clean toweling, a movable support aboutwhich said toweling is wound as a roll after it has become soiled, said rolls being positioned adjacent to each other with the-shelf interposed therebetween and in direct. contact with the contiguous surfaces of said rolls,

means in frictional drive engagement with the soiled roll, said means being adapted to support the combined weight of the rolls and the interposed shelf thereby to insure a friction drive of constant force,'said shelf functioning as a separating partition to prevent contact of the clean roll by the soiled roll, and'means by which dispensing of said clean toweling causes the drive means to wind the soiled toweling as a roll of pendicular to its axis-of rotation,said rolls being positioned adjacent to each other with the shelf interposed therebetween and in direct contactwith the contiguous surfaces of said rolls, means in f'rictional drive engagement with the soiled roll, said drive means being adapted to support the'combined weight of the rolls and the interposed shelf thereby to insure a friction drive of j constant'force, said shelf functioning as a sepjarating partition to prevent contact of the clean roll by the soiled roll, and means by which dis- I pensing of said clean toweling causes the drive means to wind the soiled toweling as a roll of increasing diameter about the movable core.

9. A towel dispensing apparatus in which soiled toweling is taken up as clean toweling is dispensed, comprising a soiled takeup roll mounted to move in a direction perpendicular to its axis of rotation as the amount of soiled toweling thereon increases, a substantially frictionless movable division element for supporting a roll of clean toweling, said element being interposed and in direct contact with contiguous surfaces of the clean and soiled rolls, and roller means frictionally supporting the soiled take-up roller for drive rotation thereof, said roller means being adapted to substantially receive the combined gravital effect of the rolls and their interposed division element.

10. In a towel dispensing apparatus, a roll upon which soiled toweling is wound, a pair of drive rolls supporting the soiled towel roll and by which said roll is driven through contact with soiled toweling thereon, means mounting the soiled towel roll so that it can move upwardly as the amount of the soiled towel thereon increases, a shelf constantly resting by gravity against the soiled toweling, and adapted to support a roll of clean toweling which constantly acts vby gravity against the gravity-acting shelf thereby to force the gravitating soiled towel roll against said drive rolls, a clean towel measuring roll, and means by which said roll operates the drive rolls.

CHARLES A. CHIDSEY, JR. 

